278 MP. SPONGE'S SPOUTING TOUR. 



sovereigns ! confound it, it would be very inconvenient — most 

 inconvenient — indeed, he couldn't do it, so there was end of it. 

 The facilities of carrying out after-dinner transactions frequently 

 vanish with the morning's sun. So it was with Mr. Pacey. Then 

 he began to think how to get out of it. .Should he tell Mr. Sponge 

 candidly the state of his finances, and trust to his generosity for 

 letting him off ? "Was Mr. Sponge a likely man to do it ? He 

 thought he was. But then, would he blab ? He thought he 

 would, and that would blow him among those by whom he wished 

 to be thought knowing, a man not to be done. Altogether he was 

 very much perplexed : seventy pounds was a vast of money ; and 

 then there was his watch gone, too ! a hundred and more altogether. 

 He must have been drunk to do it — very drunk, he should say ; 

 and then he began to think whether he had not better treat it as 

 an after-dinner frolic, and pretend to forget all about it. That 

 seemed feasible. 



All at once it occurred to Pacey that Mr. Spraggon was the 

 purchaser, and that he was only a middle-man. His headache 

 forsook him for the moment, and he felt a new man. It was 

 clearly the case, and bit by bit he recollected all about it. How 

 Jack had told him to challenge the horse, and he would stand to 

 the bargain ; how he had whispered him (Pacey) to name him 

 (Jack) arbitrator ; and how he had done so, and Jack had made 

 the award. Then he began to think that the horse must be a 

 good one, as Jack would not set too high a price on him, seeing 

 that he was the purchaser. Then he wondered that he had put 

 enough on to induce Sponge to sell him : that rather puzzled him. 

 He lay a long time tossing, and proing and coning, without being 

 able to arrive at any satisfactory solution of the matter. At last 

 he rang his bell, and finding it was eight o'clock he got up, and 

 proceeded to dress himself ; which operation being accomplished, 

 he sought Jack's room, to have a little confidential conversation 

 with him on the subject, and arrange about paying Sponge for the 

 horse, without letting out who was the purchaser. 



Jack was snoring, with his great mouth wide open, and his 

 grizzly head enveloped in a white cotton nightcap. The noise of 

 Pacey entering awoke him. 



" Well, old boy," growled he, turning over as soon as he saw who 

 it was, " what are you up to ? " 



" Oh, nothing particular," replied Mr. Pacey, in a careless sort of 

 tone. 



" Then make yourself scarce, or I'll baptise you in a way you 

 won't like," growled Jack, diving under the bedclothes. 



" Oh, why I just wanted to have — have half-a-dozen words with 

 you about our last night's " (ha — hem — liaw !) " handicap, you 

 know — about the horse you know." 



